They move quickly, have a good sense of vision and smell and their evasiveness helps them survive in the wild — and in suburban areas.
So, when a coyote was spotted in Pembroke Pines, police Tuesday were quick to issue a warning on social media — telling people to beware.
“Pet owners should use caution when letting out your pets, and humans should never attempt to feed or approach a coyote,” police said in a Tuesday afternoon Twitter message.
The coyote was seen in the area of Northwest 15th Court and 83rd way, police said. The neighborhood is a little west of University Drive and south of Sheridan Street.
One of the images tweeted out by police showed the agile coyote straddling a white fence leading to the community’s lake.
Coyotes have been documented in all 67 Florida counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
According to the agency’s website, coyotes are an important element in the state’s landscape. “They help maintain healthy ecosystems by managing populations of rodents, insects and other small animals,” the FWC says.
Still, wildlife officials remind people that it’s illegal to feed coyotes and that it’s important to keep household pets away from them.
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